INTRODUCTION 



In the days of myths in ancient Greece men talked about 

 three Fates who were sisters. And in Rome an artist 1 

 painted these sis- 

 ters as they were 

 supposed to be 

 three old women 

 in a group, con- 

 trolling the des- 

 tiny of every 

 human being. 



As they stand 

 together in the pic- 

 ture they neither 

 weep nor smile ; 

 they show neither 

 joy nor sorrow, 

 neither hope nor 

 despair. Each is 

 working, watch- 

 ing, waiting. 



Clotho is the 

 youngest sister. 

 She holds the 



distaff which carries the thread of life. This thread begins to 

 lengthen when the baby is born. Lachesis, the second sister, 



1 Supposed to have been Michelangelo. 

 ix 



THE THREE FATES 



